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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Far Western US Region

33 Ranked Colleges
375 Degrees Awarded
$38,800 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking.

Music Theory & Composition is the 390th most popular major in the country with 1,175 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 375 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking analyzed 33 colleges that offered a degree in music theory and composition. That schools that top this list have a program in music theory and composition in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The music composition school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Far Western US Region

1
LACM crest
Los Angeles College of Music
Pasadena, California

Out of the 33 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Los Angeles College of Music landed the #1 spot on the list. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Los Angeles College of Music

2
LA Film School crest
Los Angeles Film School
Hollywood, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Los Angeles Film School. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region. LA Film School is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in Hollywood, California. It awarded 181 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at LA Film School

3
CalArts crest
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, California

Out of the 33 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of the Arts landed the #3 spot on the list. CalArts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full CalArts Music Theory & Composition Report

4
Musicians Institute crest
Musicians Institute
Hollywood, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Musicians Institute. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region. This small school is located in Hollywood, California, and it awarded 18 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Musicians Institute Music Theory & Composition Report

5
SFCM crest
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, California

Out of the 33 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco Conservatory of Music landed the #5 spot on the list. San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at SFCM

6

DigiPen Institute of Technology landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Digipen is a small private for-profit school situated in Redmond, Washington. It awarded 7 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full DigiPen Institute of Technology Music Theory & Composition Report

7
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #7. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Academy of Art University

8
Lewis and Clark College crest
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, Oregon

Lewis & Clark College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #8. Lewis & Clark College is a small school located in Portland, Oregon that handed out 9 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Lewis & Clark College

9
Bushnell University crest
Bushnell University
Eugene, Oregon

With a ranking of #9, Bushnell University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. This small school is located in Eugene, Oregon, and it awarded 1 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bushnell University Music Theory & Composition Report

10
Biola crest
Biola University
La Mirada, California

Biola University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Biola is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Mirada, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Biola University Music Theory & Composition Report

11
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, California

Mills College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Mills College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oakland, California. It awarded 1 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Mills

12
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Redlands, California. It awarded 3 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Redlands

13
CWU crest
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington

Central Washington University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. CWU is a public institution located in Ellensburg, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Central Washington University

14
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

With a ranking of #14, University of Oregon did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. University of Oregon is a public institution located in Eugene, Oregon. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Oregon Music Theory & Composition Report

15
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Cal Baptist is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Baptist Music Theory & Composition Report

16
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Western Washington University is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full WWU Music Theory & Composition Report

17

With a ranking of #17, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 7 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UCSB Music Theory & Composition Report

18
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Orange, California, and it awarded 2 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Chapman

19
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #19, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 12 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at USC

20
Pacific crest
University of the Pacific
Stockton, California

University of the Pacific landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of the Pacific is a medium-sized school located in Stockton, California that handed out 1 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of the Pacific Music Theory & Composition Report

21
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

With a ranking of #21, Washington State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Pullman, Washington, this large public school awarded 4 degrees to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Washington State University Music Theory & Composition Report

22
Portland State University crest
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon

Portland State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Portland State University

23

University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. UC Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at UC Santa Cruz

24

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at UW Seattle

25
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Music Composition Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Pepperdine University is located in Malibu, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Pepperdine

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